1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding mobile wireless device, and more particularly to a technology for enhancing the strength of a hinge portion of the folding mobile wireless device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there have been developed various mobile wireless devices to enhance a reduction in a size and weight and mobility. In particular, there is a folding mobile wireless device having such a structure that a housing of the mobile wireless device is divided into an upper housing and a lower housing, and the upper and lower housings are coupled through connecting portions provided in the upper and lower housings respectively and a hinge portion constituted by a coupling pin for coupling them and can be folded. The folding mobile wireless device has such an excellent shape as to maintain operability during transmission and receipt and to be easily accommodated in a pocket or a bag.
In the conventional folding mobile wireless device, a predetermined strength has been required for the hinge portion in order to rotate and unfold or fold the upper housing and the lower housing around the hinge portion. Therefore, the upper and lower housings are formed of a metal and the connecting portion constituting the hinge portion is also formed of a metal integrally with the respective housings. However, in the case in which the upper and lower housings and the connecting portion are integrally formed of a metal, the degree of freedom of a forming work is reduced, productivity is deteriorated and the degree of freedom of the appearance of the upper and lower housings is also restricted.
In order to improve the productivity of the upper and lower housings and to enhance the degree of freedom of the appearance, it is supposed that the housing is formed of a resin and the connecting portion constituting the hinge portion is also formed of a resin integrally. However, a predetermined strength could not be maintained in the hinge portion constituted by such a connecting portion.
The invention has been made in consideration of the problems described above and has an object to provide a folding mobile wireless device capable of maintaining a predetermined strength in a hinge portion without making a housing forming work complicated.
The object of the invention can be achieved by a folding mobile wireless device which can be folded rotatably by a first housing, a second housing and a hinge portion for rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing to each other, the hinge portion including connecting portions provided in the first housing and the second housing and a coupling pin for coupling the connecting portions, wherein at least a specific one of contact portions of the connecting portions which come in contact with the coupling pin has a higher strength than the contact portions other than the specific contact portion.
Moreover, the object of the invention can be achieved by a folding mobile wireless device which can be folded rotatably by a first housing, a second housing and a hinge portion for rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing to each other, the hinge portion including connecting portions provided in the first housing and the second housing and a coupling pin for coupling the connecting portions, wherein at least a specific one of contact portions of the connecting portions which come in contact with the coupling pin has a higher strength than the housing provided with the connecting portion including the specific contact portion.
In this specification, the xe2x80x9cstrengthxe2x80x9d particularly implies a strength against the deformation of a component, abrasion, etc. and a hardness.
In such a folding mobile wireless device, a predetermined strength can be maintained for the hinge portion. More specifically, even if the first housing and the second housing are rotated around the hinge portion to often carry out unfolding or folding, the hinge portion is not damaged and the first housing and the second housing are coupled stably because a contact portion with the coupling pin of the connecting portions has a high strength.
Moreover, the object of the invention can be achieved by a folding mobile wireless device which can be folded rotatably by a first housing, a second housing and a hinge portion for rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing to each other, the hinge portion including a first connecting portion provided in the first housing, a second connecting portion provided in the second housing and a coupling pin for coupling the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, wherein the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion have different strengths from each other, and a specific contact portion coming in contact with the coupling pin in the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion which has a lower strength has a higher strength than a contact portion of the connecting portion having a higher strength.
Furthermore, the object of the invention can be achieved by a folding mobile wireless device which can be folded rotatably by a first housing, a second housing and a hinge portion for rotatably coupling the first housing and the second housing to each other, the hinge portion including a first connecting portion provided in the first housing, a second connecting portion provided in the second housing and a coupling pin for coupling the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, wherein the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion have different strengths from each other, and a specific contact portion coming in contact with the coupling pin in the first connecting portion or the second connecting portion which has a lower strength has a higher strength than the housing provided with the connecting portion including the specific contact portion.
In such a folding mobile wireless device, even if the first housing and the second housing are formed of different materials in order to prevent a housing forming work from being complicated and to enhance the strength of the housing, a strength which is almost equal to that of the connecting portion having a high strength can be given to the connecting portion having a low strength. Therefore, a predetermined strength can be maintained for the hinge portion. In other words, since the strength of the hinge portion can be almost uniform over the whole hinge portion, the predetermined strength can be maintained for the hinge portion.
In the folding mobile wireless device, moreover, it is preferable that a reinforcing member should be provided integrally with the connecting portion of the housing to be the contact portion.
For the xe2x80x9creinforcing memberxe2x80x9d, in the case in which the first and second housings are formed of materials having different hardnesses, for example, it is possible to use a material which is softer than a material of the harder housing and is harder than a material of the softer housing. For example, when one of the housings is formed of magnesium and the other housing is formed of a resin, aluminum and stainless can be used for the material of the reinforcing member.
In such a folding mobile wireless device, the reinforcing member can be provided integrally with the connecting portion by using insert molding and the predetermined strength can be maintained for the hinge portion.
In the folding mobile wireless device, moreover, it is preferable that the connecting portion should be formed of a resin and the reinforcing member should be formed of a metal.
In such a folding mobile wireless device, it is possible to prevent the housing forming work from being complicated and to maintain a predetermined strength for the hinge portion.